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144
Attention had been called in the monthly reports, from time
to time, to the special offensiveness of stable refuse where peat
litter is used, and the suggestion made that where it is used
the proviso to the bye-law should not apply. On consideration
of the Council's letter, I advised that the question asked
should be answered in the affirmative, and the Sanitary Committee
reported a recommendation in support of the proposal
to abolish the proviso. Their report was referred back for
further consideration, but after such further consideration the
committee saw no reason for varying their recommendation,
which, nevertheless, was throw n out by your Vestry.*
That a well-nigh intolerable nuisance arises in connection
with the use of peat litter, cannot be reasonably denied by
any one cognizant of the facts. It is not usual to drain stables
where it is used. The peat would stop the drains. It has,
moreover, the property of sucking up, like a sponge, all liquid
excreta, the result being that the refuse, as it leaves the stable,
is more or less wet. Nevertheless, at this point of time, the
litter, if not kept in the stable too long, is not necessarily very
offensive. But after a short detention in the usual brick receptacle
it acquires a stink of its own, scarcely at all suggestive
of the smell proper to peat, or to horse excreta.
This stink is especially manifested when the lefuse is disturbed
in process of removal from the receptacle to the wagon
—the bottom layer in the receptacle forming the top layer of
the load. With a view to reduce the annoyance to the public,
and particularly to persons living in the vicinity of the stables,
your Vestry, on my advice, induced the London General
Omnibus Company to place a vehicle in each of their yards
*The Committee had before them a number of letters of complaint from
parishioners making complaint of the nuisance arising in the removal of peat
manure (vide Minutes of the Vestry pp 406-7). Their recommendation was—
" That the London County Council be informed that this Vestry concur in the
desirability of the bye-law referred to in their letter being extended so as to
include the removal of peat litter within its provisions." An amendment was
carried in the Vestry (by 33 to 22) that before the word " concur " the words " do
not" be inserted.